Sport GT Sedan

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Review

2006
Maserati
Quattroporte Review

The comfort of a luxury sedan with the power of an F1.

Reviewed by Automotive on
5/10/2006

Overview

The 2006 Maserati Quattroporte family introduces two new models: the Sport GT and the Executive GT. Each of these fresh trim levels offers an impressive array of high-tech features and luxury accessories.

Maserati first introduced the Quattroporte in 1963. Though it was one of the fastest sedans on the road at the time, the Quattroporte fell victim to Maserati’s financial struggles in the following decades. Ferrari acquired a large stake in the company in the late 1990s; since then, Maserati has gone through something of a revival, and the Quattroporte re-emerged in the market in 2005. This ultra-luxurious sedan is also an impressively athletic machine, as sleek and stylish as any of Maserati’s sporty offerings. The Quattroporte boasts a design from the famed Pininfarina design house and carries the same level of fine Italian craftsmanship that drivers have come to love and expect in all of Maserati’s royal offerings.

Like most premium Italian automobiles, the Maserati Quattroporte comes with a lofty price tag; if you simply seek a luxury sedan, you can find a comparable level of quality at a lower cost elsewhere. However, Maserati’s princely reputation offers a type of luxury all its own, and for buyers in search of a sporty driving experience along with the room of a four-door sedan, the 2006 Maserati Quattroporte provides a very worthy option.

What's New

Maserati introduces two new luxury trim levels to the 2006 Quattroporte, the Sport GT and the Executive GT. The Sport GT offers just what its name implies, including a full range of high-performance features such as 20-inch alloy wheels, aluminum racing pedals, sport exhaust, drilled brake discs, carbon-fiber interior trim, and the DuoSelect six-speed sequential-shift manual transmission for lightning-quick shifting. The Executive GT takes things one luxurious step further, with options including a selection of interior wood accents, massaging front seats, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, rear pull-down tables, chrome mesh on the grille and side vents, an exclusive palette of exterior paint colors, and a variety of wheel styles.

Exterior

The 2006 Maserati Quattroporte is a full-size, four-door sedan, but its sleek design cuts a trim profile that fits easily alongside Maserati’s smaller sports cars. The Quattroporte represents a masterpiece of Italian design with its long, rounded hood; bold grille; and sweeping windshield. This smooth sedan has all the look and feel of an aerodynamic predator. With such a streamlined exterior, many easily forget that this sedan boasts a 120.6-inch wheelbase, with an overall length of 199 inches and a height of 56.6 inches.

Interior

Real wood accents and leather upholstery may be the norm for luxury Italian cars, but the 2006 Quattroporte takes things to a new level of decadence. On top of the standard rosewood, buyers may choose to personalize this palace-on-wheels with mahogany, burl walnut, a piano-black finish, or titanium-style trimming. This four-passenger sedan offers ample cabin space all around, with reclining rear seats, rear ventilation ducts, and a power rear sunshade all as standard features. The 2006 Quattroporte also offers a complete entertainment system, with a Blaupunkt premium stereo system, Bose premium brand speakers, a subwoofer, and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system. The Executive GT trim provides even more luxury with massaging, heated, and powered front seats, along with a wealth of other high-tech accessories.

Performance & Handling

The 2006 Maserati Quattroporte houses a Ferrari-designed, double-overhead-cam V-8 engine, rated at 393 horsepower, and 333 lb-ft of torque. This machine offers as much decadent power as passenger comfort: it can push zero to 60 mph in just over five seconds, and Maserati puts its top speed at 171 mph.

The Quattroporte’s optional DuoSelect gearbox offers six-speed manual shifting with an electrohydraulic clutch powered by paddles mounted behind the steering wheel. This system offers a sportier, F1-style driving experience, while also providing the option of full automatic transmission.

Despite its size and heavy build, the Quattroporte offers very stable steering and overall control. Even aggressive driving comes easy in this high-powered, meticulously crafted machine. Its hefty muscle does make for a tighter ride than other sedans, however.

Safety

The Quattroporte has as much to offer in the realm of safety as it does in comfort and performance. Standard safety features include ABS, stability control, traction control, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags. The run-flat tire option also includes a tire-pressure monitoring system.